H1B Visa

Photo Requirements for Indian Passport Renewal

There are stringent rules in place to submit a photograph for Indian Passport. If you do not follow the instructions carefully, your passport application can be rejected. Before and after you take the photograph, you can tick off the checklist below to ensure that you have taken an ideal photograph required for your Indian passport.

Size and Dimension

2 X 2 inches

The face in the photograph should cover 70-80% of the photograph.

Head and Face

Full frontal view of the applicant's face is mandatory.

All the features should be clearly visible in the photograph.

The head should be in the center of the frame in the photograph. There should be no tilt or turn to the head.

The top of the head or tip of the chin cannot be cut out from a photograph. The full head from the crown to the bottom of the chin has to be visible in the photo.

Neck, shoulders, and both the ears have to be clearly visible in the photograph.

Skin tone should be natural. It should not be too dark or too light.

Head coverings, hair or facial ornaments should not obscure the face.

Should not have ‘Red eye’.

Should not have reflection of the flash.

Eyes should be open and looking in the front.

No hairstyle or sunglasses should cover the face.

No shadows should fall on the face that hides the features.

The lighting on the face should not be too bright or too dull. It should be even.

The applicant has to maintain a neutral expression in the photograph. No wide smiles, laughing expression, or any other exaggerated expressions are accepted.

Attire

Attire that is visible against the white background is acceptable. Do not wear a light-colored garment that blends in with the white background. Photographs taken in uniforms are not accepted.

The photograph must be taken in a colored attire, for example, a medium blue shirt etc.

The attire should not be patterned / textured or pure white.

Background

The background has to be plain white.

No patterns, multiple colors, or borders should be in the background.

The background should be properly lit and bright to avoid any shadows.

No shadows should be in the background.

Accessories

Glasses:

No Sunglasses or any other fashion accessory that hides the face is accepted.

No tinted prescription glasses can be worn in the photograph.

Prescription plain glasses that are worn daily by the applicant are allowed. No glare should fall on the glasses in the photograph.

Head Coverings:

The applicant cannot wear a hat or any other accessory to cover the head.

The exception applies when the head covering is worn for a religious reason and is a part of the applicant's daily attire. In such a case the head covering should not cover the face. Top of the forehead to the tip of the chin and the full face has to be clearly visible in the photograph.

Photograph Requirements for Children

The child has to be alone in the photograph with no adults, toys, or furniture in the background.

Children under the age of 10 have to look in the front and give a full frontal view of the face.

Babies under the age of one do not need to have their eyes open.

The facial expression should be neutral.

The mouth should be closed with no tongue hanging out and the hands should not be resting on the head or face.

The background requirements and lighting requirements are the same as that of the requirements for adults.

The rules about the height of the face and the position of the eyes are not stringently applied for the photographs of the children.

Photo Prints

The photo should be printed on a thin photo paper.

The print has to be clear with an even tone.

The photo should not be modified, retouched, or enhanced.

Tick off the checklist above whether the photograph matches all the rules and regulations.

Tip: It is always a good idea to get the photograph taken in a professional photo studio that specializes in passport photos. Polaroid photos, photos taken and printed at home, digital photos etc will be easily rejected.